Home Hill State High School has claimed victory at the Opti-MINDS 2024 State Championship in Division II Media Communications, an outstanding achievement in the national competition, which has been running for 36 years. This marks the second year Home Hill has competed, having previously won the Townsville regional finals last year and gone on to claim the Division III Media Communications title at the state level.
In 2024, Home Hill entered two teams into the Townsville regional finals, and both emerged victorious. The junior team, "Nerd Herd," triumphed in Division II Media Communications, bringing home the state title. The challenge theme this year was "Banishing the Bogus," where participants were tasked with interpreting what 'bogus' means to them and delivering a creative pitch. The senior team, "Silly Straws," humorously declared that people who don't believe in dad jokes are bogus, while the junior team took a more playful approach, asserting that the bogeyman was bogus.
The students committed six weeks of preparation, giving up their lunchtimes to brainstorm and develop their ideas. At the state finals in Brisbane, they faced a new challenge: coming up with a fresh pitch in just three hours, a far cry from the six-week regional process.
The senior team earned the honour of being named state finalists, finishing in the top four out of 96 teams, a remarkable accomplishment. The junior team’s victory was especially thrilling, as only one member had competed in Opti-MINDS before. The students were overjoyed to learn they had won, as they faced stiff competition from across the state.
The trip to Brisbane was made possible through the generosity of the local community. Fundraising efforts included a GoFundMe page and a stall at the Water Festival Markets. Home Hill Rotary, Dale Last, RSL Home Hill branch, Sunwater, and Home Hill Lyons were among the sponsors. Vicki Flynn, speaking on behalf of the teams, extended her heartfelt thanks to the community and a special acknowledgement to Julie Young for her invaluable support.
Cheyenne, Zaine, Lucy, Ashlyn, Ava and Alex smiling proudly after their win
Publishers Indemnity. Any individual or entity that places advertising, supplies copy material, or submits editorial content to Core Life Publishing agrees and undertakes to ensure that all such material:- Does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;- Is free from any content that could be considered defamatory, libelous, or slanderous;- Does not infringe upon any rights related to privacy or breach of confidence;- Contains no obscene, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material;- Complies fully with the Trade Practices Act and all other applicable laws, regulations, or statutes.Furthermore, by submitting or placing such material, these individuals or entities agree to indemnify and hold harmless the publisher, Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd, and/or its agents from and against any and all investigations, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, costs, or judgments arising out of or in connection with the material provided. All material is believed to be accurate at the time of printing and remains the copyright of Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd.
© 2023 Burdekin Life Pty Ltd.
